Disclaimer: *sniff* Nobody belongs to me.*sniff* But if I could borrow anyone, it would have to be Sasuke. Let us all praise the brilliant people who gave us Naruto to feed our imaginations. ^_^

Warning: You've already been warned, let's not go there.

Author's notes: Thank you for coming along with me on my dark path.  I'll keep writing, please keep reading. Thanks especially for those who have given me reviews.  It's (used correctly here) much appreciated ^_~

Translation tips for the needy:

Chakra-spiritual energy

Sensei-teacher

Nani-"what"

Soul Unsheathed

Chapter II: Unclouded Vision

The dark blade wept tears of blood over the damage it had inflicted on Sasuke's forearm.

Like all its brothers, the kunai was a matte black color. The shinobi crafted all their weapons to be invisible in night attacks, thus they all had the same non-reflective coloring. A weapon that reflects light is a weakness, and any weakness in a shinobi can lead to a failed mission. I cannot fail.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he watched the room's bright light war with the blade's darkness. The kunai remained triumphant, the light passed by the blade, unable to reflect on its resistant edge. Does it miss the light?

With no light to play with, the kunai settled for blood. It twisted slowly in the air, letting the blood dance irreverently along its edge. It soon tired of this game and turned again to the flesh below. One solitary trail of blood ravaged Sasuke's arm. The blade understood loneliness, so it descended again to give the lonely path a companion.

Sasuke turned his eyes away from the blade as it lay flat against his arm, teasing him with what it could do. He almost let out a soft gasp as it suddenly turned and bit into his skin. He closed his eyes against the blood, determined to force his mind away from his brother. The past is dead and buried. At least most of it is…. I will continue to train. I will become stronger. I will avenge my clan.

Sasuke knew that his current teacher could help him become stronger, but he was always troubled when he thought of Kakashi. The silver-haired man was an enigma. Sasuke remembered how shocked he had been when he first met Kakashi. Naruto had rigged an asinine prank up in the doorway of the classroom and Kakashi had fallen for it. Sasuke had almost walked out right then. As if someone who would fall for one of Naruto's pranks could make me stronger.

He had learned quickly that his teacher was much more capable than he had ever imagined. His teammates laughed at Kakashi's careless manner. Yelling out to him, "You're Late!!" when he arrived late with foolish excuses. However, Sasuke understood something that they didn't. Kakashi was extremely dangerous. Although only one limpid eye was visible, Kakashi seemed able to see everything going on around him. Sasuke always had the feeling his teacher was looking through him.

Maybe he is. He has the ability of the Sharingan. Maybe that was the reason Sasuke did not trust his sensei.

The Sharingan was an ability that flowed through the Uchiha clan, no other bloodline had it. How did he get his Sharingan? I know he shares no blood with me, he shouldn't have that ability.

When Kakashi had pulled back his protector and revealed his single Sharingan to his students, Sasuke was the only one who understood it for what it really was. Understood that a powerful weapon was about to be released. His jaw clenched as he remembered the feeling of being crushed between Kakashi's Sharingan empowered chakra and Zabuza's own strong chakra. The strength of it was so much like the chakra released when his brother had slaughtered his clan. Sasuke had again felt like that small child trapped by overwhelming forces, desiring escape even if it was through death.

 "Sasuke, don't worry. I'll protect you even if it kills me."

Sasuke had been shocked when Kakashi had said this, but what was even more implausible was that he had believed him.

Why do I feel so on edge around him? There was something about his sensei, something that disturbed him.

He reminds me…

Sasuke felt a tingling, burning sensation radiating from his wounds. He glanced down to see the blade had paused in its journey. In front of its current path was the narrow, bloody river it had made earlier. It seemed reluctant to pass over the old trail and so had hesitated before crossing it.

I want to trust him.

No.

… I do trust him.

Sasuke shook his head trying to deny it. Defiantly, the kunai used his distraction to cross over the bloody line in front of it. Sasuke winced and looked down at the blood welling up.

Kakashi was about the same age as... He was also one of the most skilled shinobi Sasuke had met. So many times during their training, Sasuke had felt a playful, supportive spirit from his sensei. And during missions, Kakashi had always been there if any of them needed help. Sasuke tried to ignore it. He had closed his mind and placed what barriers he could around his inner-most self, but still he was affected.

He reminds me too much of my….

*flashback*

Sasuke smiled tightly as the cursed seal of Ochimaru retreated. He knew it was time to finish the match. Using all his chakra, Sasuke moved into a flurry of movement. His opponent was unable to counter his onslaught and went plummeting to the ground under his new Lion combination attack.

Sasuke had put too much into the attack. He had taken out his opponent, but had found he could not recover quickly enough from the attack. He slammed into the ground as well and slide painfully across the hard floor. His team mates and rivals watched as his limp body came to a stop. Slowly he levered himself up to a sitting position, breathing rapidly. His entire body shook with the effort to remain conscious. He dragged his right forearm across his jaw, wiping away the blood.

"The first match winner is Uchiha Sasuke."

Sasuke heard his loud team mate yelling about his success, but didn't have the energy to respond. Now that he had been announced as the winner, he stopped fighting the darkness that had been attempting to claim him. His eyes closed, inviting the loss of consciousness. Sasuke was unable to keep his body from falling back onto the hard ground.

Nani? No impact?

Sasuke's eyes opened in surprise as he felt his collapse interrupted. A cloud of smoke was dispersing around him as he looked up to see his sensei. Kakashi had appeared behind him, subtly using his leg to prevent him from impacting on the ground a second time.

"Well, you did okay."

*end flashback*

Sasuke's eyes narrowed again as he looked to the blade. The kunai had finished its task while he had been lost in thought. It hung threateningly above him. Blood now graced both edges of the blade. A small pool of blood was forming on the ground below his arm. Sasuke's jet black eyes widened as a darker area began to take shape in the deep red blood. Sasuke couldn't make out the shapes that were forming. The image was blurry, like the reflection of a shadow.

He reminds me too much of my brother. Do I really trust him? He trains me, supports me, praises me. Will he one day betray me?

------------------ tbc

*^_^*

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